Protected areas system gets further boost from German Gov’t

The local protected areas system received a significant boost today with the exchange of notes to formally initiate a funding grant from the German Government to the Guyana Government via the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Future investments will focus on the construction and equipping of offices for the recently established Protected Areas Commission.

German Ambassador Stefan Schluter said that his country’s partnering with Guyana on environmental issues began in 1996, and since then, has continued to grow. “We are actually now celebrating the third phase of this on-going project which so far amounts to US$14 -15M. This is the latest phase which will have about 5M Euros in aid. ”

The ambassador said it is estimated that by the year 2020 up to US$100B will be spent on climate change efforts, internationally.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Robert

Persaud and German Ambassador Stefan Schluter with

the Promissory Note signed. Also in photo are Germany’s

Honorary Consul to Guyana Ben ter Welle (right), and

Commissioner of the Protected Areas Commission,

Damian Fernandes (left)

This latest initiative is intended to serve as an endowment to the Protected Areas Trust Fund and partly fund the establishment of the Protected Areas Commission’s offices and develop infrastructural management plans in key protected areas.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Robert Persaud, welcomed the financial assistance and said the funding will be instrumental in efforts to promote alternative livelihoods for persons indigenous to many of the protected areas. “The people and Government of Guyana appreciate the firm and consistent support of the Government and people of Germany in this particular area”.

Government has also committed itself to financially contributing to the project, the Minister said, and sounded a warning to those who indiscriminately dump garbage. It’s time to stop pointing fingers and address the issue, he said. The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment recently launched the “Pick it up” campaign to encourage citizens to keep their environment clean.

“A naming and shaming exercise” will be conducted as part of efforts to tackle this growing problem of persons illegally dumping garbage, he said.

The formal operationalisation of the Protected Areas Commission was also announced today. The commission will join the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Guyana Forestry Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency as the administrative axis for local sustainable development under the Natural Resources Ministry. The commission’s  establishment stems from the passage of the Protected Areas Act of 2011 and it will be run by a board of directors including Chairman Shyam Nokta and Vice Chairman Major Genral (rt’d) Joe Singh with responsibility for managing, promoting and expanding the National Protected Areas System (NPAS).

The commission will be based at the National Park, Thomas Lands and have an initial component of six officers including Commissioner Damian Fernandes and Deputy Commissioner Denise Fraser. Community consultations have already begun with various stakeholder groups to finalis management plans for Protected Areas across Guyana.

A logo for the commission was selected through a public competition and the winning design was submitted by German based non-profit organisation Eerepami Regenwaldstiftung Guyana.

An initiative to rehabilitate the National Park, Botanical Gardens and Zoo will be launched in the near future.